Maximum Monthly SNAP Benefits for a 7-Person Household Capped at $1,536, Contradicting Social Media Claims

A recent tweet from the account "Wall Street Apes" has circulated, alleging that a woman regularly spends "$3,000 a trip on EBT Food Stamps" and claims to have an "EBT Unlimited Card" due to having seven children. The tweet further quotes the woman stating, "I'm not paying cash because it's free." However, official data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) indicates that the maximum monthly Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for a household of seven in the 48 contiguous states and the District of Columbia is $1,536 for Fiscal Year 2025, which runs from October 2024 to September 2025.

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, commonly known as SNAP, provides food assistance to low-income individuals and families. Benefits are distributed monthly via an Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card, which functions similarly to a debit card and can be used to purchase eligible food items at authorized retailers. The amount of SNAP benefits a household receives is determined by factors such as household size, income, and certain deductions, with recipients expected to contribute approximately 30% of their net income towards food purchases.

The program is designed to supplement a household's food budget, not to cover all food expenses, and certainly not to provide "unlimited" funds. For instance, a household of seven with no net income would receive the maximum allotment of $1,536 per month. If a household has net income, their benefit is reduced by 30% of that income. The average SNAP benefit per person in Fiscal Year 2025 is estimated to be $187 per month, or about $6.16 per day.

The USDA's Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), which oversees SNAP, has robust measures in place to prevent fraud and abuse. These include data analytics to identify suspicious transaction patterns, retailer compliance checks, and investigations into alleged misuse of benefits. SNAP benefits cannot be used to purchase non-food items like alcohol, tobacco, or household goods, nor can they be converted into cash. Individuals found misusing EBT benefits face penalties ranging from disqualification from the program to criminal prosecution. The program emphasizes accountability and aims to ensure that benefits are used appropriately to address food insecurity.